There were plenty of parking spaces, so I didn't have any problems. It was Easter Sunday, and we had 'up from the grave He arose' in the morning which is one of husband's favourites. As I drove home I suddenly heard a little tune played, and the petrol symbol came on. I wasn't too worried, as the car has an eco engine, quite small for the size of car, this means that the road tax is a mere £30 per year. In the afternoon we went up to our Daughter's home for tea, but didn't make to to the evening service My cold sore, obviously didn't like being thwarted, so decided to break out on my top lip, making my mouth twice as sore. Husband continued to sniff and sneeze.
On the Monday we decided to try a bike ride, as he was feeling a little better, however as we set off down the road, my bike felt strange, I stopped to check but all seemed fine. As I reached the corner, I stopped again, all was not fine, I had a puncture. So we walked back, and husband took the wheel off my bike and repaired the puncture. I pottered about in the garden a bit, weeding and pulling up those annoying Spanish bluebells, which we accidentally planted years ago. By the time husband had finished my bike,it was too late to do anything really, I had been out for a walk and got the paper. Bank holidays don't mean much when you are retired.
However the next day, I checked out my bike,and the tyre was fine, so we rode towards Watford again, as far as the lock past the M25. Around 7.3 miles there and back, it was a beautiful day.
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| The (inhabited) lock cottage |
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| West coast mainline Virgin train |
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The lock |
Someone at the trout lake has a sense of humour
Some time that week, we decided that instead of having the hassle of selling our old Focus, we would give it to our Son, as he hadn't had much joy with one he had bought second hand. I really don't enjoy selling cars I hate it when people try to knock the price down, although the Lord was good to me and answered prayer when I sold the Fiesta and I got the asking price.
So on the Thursday we had both children again, they were not too much trouble, and it was a little warmer, so they played in the garden for a while. Husband has reassembled the water feature now that the risk of frost is low, poor Nathaniel, he just cannot resist sticking his fingers in it. Later after we had taken them home, whilst waiting for the oven to get hot, and the food to cook, I rushed around with the vacuum cleaner, then mopped the kitchen floor, to try and save time for the next day. We also got the cases down and began to pack. We had booked a bungalow in Prestatyn, from Friday to Friday, as the bungalow we used to go to in Kinmel bay is no longer in the brochure. Our Daughter decided to come with us as the children were still on holiday, for various reasons they were not going to Word Alive this year.
Despite my having done the cleaning the night before, we were still not very early in setting off, Husband had to find room for everything in the new car, fit the tow bar, fit the bike rack,and the bikes. When I was packing the cool bag I noticed that the fridge was not draining properly, so had ago at that, then I took most of the shelves out and washed them and got rid of any veg past its best. When fridges didn't defrost themselves, I'm sure I cleaned mine more often,
Eventually nearly everything was packed, and I suggested that I went ahead in the Focus as I had to call in at the petrol station to fill her up. We agreed we would meet up at Watford gap. It was 12 noon as I pulled away from the petrol station, traffic was flowing fairly well, but once I got to Northamptonshire, the roadworks which had slowed us down a bit on our way to the Lakes were still there. I was very conscious of the need to drive carefully, with only third party fire and theft cover. I arrived at Watford gap at just after one, and had quite a wait for husband. he had been driving extra carefully too as it was his first time with the bike rack.
We had lunch in Costa, I had already bought the Telegraph, then we had a discussion on whether to go straight up the M6, or use the toll road. The general consensus was to use it as it was Friday,and those with an early Easter break were obviously returning home. We pressed on separately, saying we would meet up at our son's home.
however as I drove up the toll road, I felt rather sleepy. Remembering how easily I can fall asleep at home in the afternoon, I thought maybe I should stop and get a drink. Unfortunately I decided against stopping at Norton Canes, had I done so, I things may have turned out differently. As It was I decided to stop at Stafford. the traffic was quite heavy and slow, I didn't have traffic alert on, and I had no satnav, or even an atlas. So I stopped bought an iced tea, and a Mars bar, used the ladies room, started to drink the iced tea, and scoffed the Mars bar. I also bough t a road atlas. I didn't see any screens around about the state of the motorway. Feeling a little less sleepy, I pressed on, I soon found I was in very slow moving traffic, then suddenly the North bound carriageway came to a complete halt. Eventually everyone switched their engines off, the sign on the gantry still flashed 40, and the only thing moving was motor cyclists.
I rang husband, he has a hands free, so was able to answer. He had heard of the junction closure at 16, on traffic alert, and had gone off at jnct 14, trying to find his way through heavy traffic. I contacted our Son, he discovered that there had been a 6 car and one van pile up at jnct 16,and at first advised me to go off at 15, and make my way there. Nothing moved still, I'm not sure how long we sat there but it was a baking hot day, people were getting out of their cars to walk around, some climbing the embankment to relieve themselves, all just waiting, and hoping, and in my case praying. I watched the lady in front get out a porta potti, sit one child on it, then a mat on the tarmac and she changed the other child's nappy. Eventually, husband had arrived at Son's, I got a call to say that the junction had reopened, and traffic should be normal by 8 pm! A lens dropped out of my driving glasses, I was rummaging around, out of the car, trying to find it, when someone behind me shouted 'We are moving', I stood up and he said, 'well we will be soon'. I got back in the car, and in a few minutes we were off, slow at first then picking up speed, then slow again. I carried on past the next junction, as I desperately needed a comfort stop, so I stopped at Keele for just long enough. I had managed to find the missing lens, and wriggled it out and back into my glasses. I passed a couple of stationary cars at jnct 16 one had no front. I felt sorry for those involved in the accident, once I had started off again, I had switched to radio 4 which has traffic alert. Off at jnct 17, I took the wrong road through Sandbach,and went a very roundabout way. Then I recognised a landmark, did a U turn and found our Son's road. As I pulled up outside their house, I couldn't see the CMax,and thought husband had gone without me, but he hadn't. I got tea and sympathy from Daughter in Law, and fuss from the dog Tom, Ethan however was in bed. We completed the transfer forms for the Focus, chatted for a while and I relaxed a bit. I had taken 7 hours for what should have been a 3 hour journey!
We said our goodbyes and thanks,and I settled into the passenger seat for an uneventful drive to Prestatyn. We arrived at about 9 pm, Daughter had arrived much earlier, found the key, and had shopped for pizzas and salad for when we arrived. As we unloaded the car, her husband arrived, he had got the train from Euston, and was just staying for the weekend, as he didn't have much leave left. Sadly, when I got to bed, it was a firm based bed, and I didn't sleep too well. The children were up fairly early the next morning, so no lie ins for us.
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